Fun With Projections

Looking over the current leaderboards, some players are really showing some crazy skills early in the year. Below are some potential records.

Matt Kemp, Dodgers

.481/.525/.1000, 185 R, 301 H, 46 2B, 0 3B, 93 HR, 231 RBI, 12 SB

Simply amazing. Kemp is hitting like no one I’ve ever seen right now. He’s not going to do this all year, but he was worthy of the NL MVP last year, and he’ll certainly win it in 2012. Needless to say, Kemp would break several records. He said that he was aiming for a 50/50 season in 2012, but he can’t steal bases when he hits the ball and has to touch home plate right afterwards with all of his homers.

Emilio Bonifacio, Marlins

.321/.429/.321, 116 R, 197 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 23 RBI, 104 SB

Bonifacio is on pace for 197 singles and ZERO extra-base hits. He is also on pace to steal 100 bases, something that hasn’t been done since Vince Coleman stole 109 in 1987.

Derek Jeter, Yankees

.359/.373/.609, 116 R, 266 H, 46 2B, 0 3B, 46 HR, 127 RBI, 0 SB

So, he’s done, right? After hitting an “awful” .270 and .297 the last two season, Jeter is back to his old self and more. He isn’t going to post numbers like A-Rod did at shortstop when all is said and done, but a Jeter-like season is definitely within reach.

Pitching Projections

No one will ever win 59 games like good ol’ Old Hoss Radbourn did in 1884 for the Providence Grays, but Ivan Nova, Lance Lynn, and Roy Halladay are on pace to go 35-0 in 2012.

Ross Detwiler beat out John Lannon for the Washington Nationals #5 starter job and has only gone 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA through three starts, good for a 22-0 record in 32 projected starts.

Matt Harrison of the Rangers is also 2-0 in his two starts, with a dazzling 0.64 ERA in two starts, good for a 25-0 record in 25 projected starts.

Brandon Beachy has been absolutely filthy, compiling a 2-1 record with a 0.47 ERA and .162 average allowed in his three starts. He’s on pace for a 23-12 record over 35 projected starts.

Javy Guerra beat out Kenley Jansen for the Dodgers closer job this spring. He’s already closed out 7 games, so he is on pace for 81 saves, which would break Francisco Rodriguez’s 2008 record of 62 by a few. The Dodgers have to keep winning, which Matt Kemp seems to be capable of doing on his own, ala Bugs Bunny.